


Even the darkest night will end

by crimsondust



Series: Fragments from the daily lives of Les Amis de l'A B C [2]
Category: Les Misérables - All Media Types, Les Misérables - Victor Hugo
Genre: Canon Era, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Feuilly and Enjolras are both working class, Gen, Printer Enjolras
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-18
Updated: 2016-07-18
Packaged: 2018-07-24 20:17:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 705
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7521610
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/crimsondust/pseuds/crimsondust
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It is less than a year after the July 1830 Barricades and the mood of the whole Les Amis is sad and angry. Feuilly has more right than most to feel that way. Enjolras tries to comfort him.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Even the darkest night will end

**Author's Note:**

> So I read the idea about Printer!Enjolras from a brilliant fanfic 'The Artisan' by shellcollector, seriously, check it out here http://archiveofourown.org/works/7187243, it's amazing. The idea started to grow on me and thought it would be nice to have two working class men, comfort each other through their personal struggles. Feuilly is a difficult one to accurately write about, without going wrong, so apologies if some things are not to your liking and well I hope you enjoy.

**Feuilly**

Feuilly stayed for some hours after the meeting was over, staring into the distance. The general mood in Café Musain had been downcast as the joy at their successful march towards town-hall and abdication of Charles X was replaced by anger and dismay at the installation of Louis-Phillipe. A revolution halted in the middle as some put it. Enjolras and Combeferre were the only ones who were calm and trying to imbue some hope into the gathering. But that had not worked too well, Feuilly thought as he watched the others head home with downcast eyes and furrowed brows. Even Courfyerac did not have any lighthearted comebacks when Bossuet recounted his misfortunes during the evening.    

Tonight Feuilly was not in the mood to study or to think about the plight of the Polish people suffering under the Russian rule or the attrocities commited by Austria against the Venitians or about Greece or even about Louis-Phillipe’s ascension to the throne. Tonight he was thinking about himself and wondering how long he could endure.

Enjolras put his hand on Feuilly’s shoulder causing him to suddenly jump.

He had thought the café was completely empty but Enjolras was still there, watching him with concern in his eyes.

Feuilly rubbed his tired eyes, ‘Enjolras, what are you doing here still?’

‘I thought you could use a friend.’

Feuilly’s eyes nearly filled with tears.

‘I’m sorry for being weak. I thought I could stay strong, through everything but sometimes….’ He left the sentence hanging in mid-air.

‘Sometimes ideas test our faith and our courage past the breaking point. You are not weak Feuilly, you are strong because of this.’

‘How do you do this? Persevere, I mean and not just persevere but inspire others, men like us.' He took a deep breath, 'Men who sometimes falter in their faith?’

‘You have not faltered, Feuilly, otherwise you would not be sitting here, having this discussion. You, well, we all had a bad couple of weeks.’

‘You can say that again,’ Feuilly snorted, ‘I thought Aignan and I shared a bond of friendship. He worked with me when I first started learning the artisan’s trade. We were apprenticed to the same fan-maker as well. Yet, he managed to sabotage our work for better pay, shorter hours and towards a union that would represent those rights, and eventually it snowballed into a riot. He even informed the Surete that I was the leader of that riot, a troublemaker…’

‘At least the fan-maker has said that the job is yours till the time you may need it.’

‘….And I had to spend a night in jail because of that. I don’t understand why he turned on us.’ Feuilly continued not listening to Enjolras.

‘So how do you do it, Enjolras?’

Enjolras had been standing near the window in the darkness, presently he stepped into the light of the lamp, ‘You make peace with the fact that there will be sacrifices demanded for the cause. And you give them.’ He turned his face towards Feuilly and he could see a small black bruise under Enjolras' eyes. His face too, looked tired but otherwise was unaltered in beauty. 

‘This was the lighter of the blows,’ he laughed at Feuilly's concerned look, ‘Some rogues broke the windows of our shop and threatened my uncle from printing subversive material against Louis-Phillipe and in support of the workers during the riot. My uncle said plainly, should there be more threats against his family, he knows what he will choose and that I shall be out of a job, if I am not careful.’ Enjolras smiled as he sat down.

Feuilly looked at the calm composed man beside him. Sometimes, it was hard to picture that the man leading them, the man speaking so passionately about Rousseau and with so much disdain about Bonaparte, might be facing his own struggles and despite all that, he remained committed to the cause. Feuilly admired him, he sometimes had his doubts but looking at Enjolras sitting here beside him returned some strength he sorely needed.

‘Thank you, Enjolras.’ Feuilly stifled a yawn. Enjolras smiled and turned around to say something to his friend but Feuilly had fallen asleep there on the table.

**Author's Note:**

> From what I have read, riots frequently broke out among the workers after July 1830 revolution as they demanded their rights and felt cheated by King Louis-Phillipe's ascension to the throne.


End file.
